The Marriage Proposal
by Knightcrawler
Summary: Kurt asks Kitty to marry him, despite last minute nerves. This is a quick one-shot piece, which takes place some time between 'The Demon of Bayville and 'The Island of Legend'. Enjoy!


**Author's note – This is quick one-shot, a fluffy piece in time for Christmas. Kurt askes Kitty to marry him, despite last minute nerves. This takes place some time between **_**The Demon of Bayville**_**, and **_**The Island of Legend**_**. (It was originally going to be included in **_**The Island of Legend**_**, but did not make the final 'cut'). I hope you enjoy this, and that you all have a Merry Christmas (or appropriate regional Winter Festival/Solstice equivalent). **

_The Marriage Proposal_

Kurt fumbled awkwardly with the ring, placed it back inside its box, and smiled awkwardly at Margali, his mother in all but blood. "Do you think Kitty will like it?" he asked uncertainly, his tail lashing from side to side, a sure sign that he was nervous. "I couldn't afford one much more expensive," he admitted, "and I don't want her to think that I'm trying to, I don't know, buy her anyway, but this cost me half a month's salary as it is." He looked down, suddenly realising that he had started babbling. He had wanted to ask Kitty to marry him for several months now, but shyness and uncertainty had prevented him from acting sooner. No one doubted that Kitty loved him as much as he loved her, but marriage still seemed like a big commitment, since they were both still in their teens, arguably not mature enough to be involved in such an adult endeavour. But with encouragement from Maragli and his friends, Kurt had at last been persuaded to do what he had longed to do for so long. Still, a part of him was terrified that Kitty would say no, and that he would be left heart-broken when she did.

Margali examined the ring carefully. It was a plain gold ring, simple but stylish. She picked it up and examined it against the light. "A ring is just a ring, a symbol," she said after a moment, "it is your commitment to each other that is important, vital. But you need not worry, this is plain and elegant, an appropriate symbol of your love for each other." She placed the ring back inside the box, and handed it back to Kurt.

"What if she still says no?" Kurt asked, sudden nerves making his tail twitch, "Then what will I do?"

Margali smiled at him knowingly, "Then you will know," she said simply, "and will no longer have to wonder. But I do not think that that will happen."

Kurt was about to reply, when there was a knock at the door. "Kurt, are you in there?" it was Kitty's voice, "I was told that there was something important that you wanted to ask me."

Margali gave him a knowing smile, "In any case," she said playfully, "it does not seem that you will have to wait very long in order to find out just what her response will be."

Kurt swallowed, "I can't do this!" he said, suddenly panicking. "I'm not brave enough!"

Margali merely gave him a long look. Kurt had been an X-Man for several months, which had involved literally leaping into danger on several occasions. Before that he had lived in a castle, an outcast due to being wrongly accused of a number of murders, and had saved numerous people from pain or death, teleporting into danger and rescuing them with barely a thought for his own safety. And before that he had lived as a circus acrobat within Margali's own circus, swinging from a trapeze and walking across a tightrope, with barely a thought for the fact that there was no safety net below him. The thought that he was not brave enough to ask his beloved to marry him, after enduring all of that, was quite ludicrous.

"This is different!" Kurt protested.

"Then get it over with," Margali said simply, "in any case, you do not want to leave the lady waiting, do you?"

Kurt sighed, and looked down, as Margali opened the door for Kitty. Margali turned back to Kurt once more, "I will see you later, right now I believe you two would like some privacy," she said, smiling mischievously at Kurt, as she shut the door behind her.

Kurt sighed once more, as Kitty gave him a confused look, "Parents," he said, giving her an awkward smile, "do they learn how to embarrass their children, or is it just a natural gift, do you think?"

Kitty gave a little laugh, "Probably a bit of both," she said, "anyway, I was told that there is something important that you wanted to ask me."

Kurt led her to a chair. She followed him, and sat down, looking more than a little confused. The truth was that Kurt had never had a beau before, and really was not sure if he was doing this correctly. Everyone he had spoken to had assured him that there was no one right way to go about romance, but Kurt knew that Kitty had had beaus before him, and he did not want to be a disappointment when compared to her previous beaus. He sighed deeply, put his left hand in his pocket, and took Kitty's right hand in his own. "We've been really good friends for a while now, haven't we, Kitty," he began awkwardly.

Kitty smiled at him, and squeezed his hand reassuringly, "Yes," she said, "you are my best friend."

Kurt smiled at her, and got down on one knee. He had read that lovers did this, in his books about dashing pirate adventure heroes. He was fairly sure that that was what you were supposed to do, although he felt suddenly very vulnerable, and strangely scared. Part of him wished that he was wearing his magical, metal bracelet, which disguised his true, blue form. This allowed him to go out and interact in public without having to endure unwanted attention, or much worse. But Margali had said that the image created by its magic was a lie, and that there was nothing worse than starting a marriage on a lie. Kurt had to admit that she had a point. Still, he had never felt more exposed and vulnerable than he did at that moment, staring up into Kitty's beautiful eyes. He swallowed twice, "And I would like for us to be friends forever," he said, his voice suddenly sounding hoarse and dry, "and more than friends. I mean," he took a huge gulp of breath, "I'd like you to marry me," he said quickly, knowing that he would not have the courage to say it again. He looked down nervously, suddenly scared that Kitty would say no. "I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to," he said quickly, "I'd understand, we're both very young, and I don't want to ruin our friendship, and it's fine if you just want to stay friends and I know that you have had beaus before and I mean that's fine of course, and…"

Kurt suddenly found that Kitty was kneeling beside him, had her arms around him, and was treating him to a very long, very passionate kiss. Kurt felt his cheeks starting to heat up, and began to wonder if he was dreaming – surely he could not be experiencing something this wondrous if he was awake? Yet, the sudden need to stop and gasp for air assured him, suddenly and in no uncertain terms, that this was certainly no dream, but wonderful life.

Kitty finally pulled away from him, gasping for breath herself. Kurt gave her a shy smile, and said, "Um, was that because you would indeed like to marry me, or was it just to stop me from talking so nervously?"

Kitty grinned at him, and winked at him playfully, "Both," she said.


End file.
